Gasquet cruises in Marseille

Fifth seed Richard Gasquet made a superb start to the Open 13 event in Marseille on Tuesday.

The Frenchman thumped Japan's Go Soeda 6-0 6-2 in just 63 minutes, taking advantage of his opponent's poor serve to make five breaks.

Soeda got just 38 percent of first serves into play, which gave the local hope a chance to attack.

Gasquet's serving will have caused him some slight concern as he offered Soeda seven break points, but the eventual winner was good enough to save them all in his easy win that saw him progress to the second round of the ATP 250 event.

In other first-round results, Nicolas Mahut hit 12 aces as he defeated Arnaud Clement 6-3 6-4 in an all-French clash, while Russian Nikolay Davydenko toppled German Andreas Beck 6-1 7-5.

Another Russian – Igor Kunitsyn – also won in straight sets, beating Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut 6-4 6-4, while qualifiers David Goffin and Albano Olivetti both progressed.

Goffin of Belgium led Adrian Mannarino 6-2 1-0 before the Frenchman retired, while Mannarino's compatriot Olivetti cruised past German Matthias Bachinger 6-4 6-3.

Slovakian Karol Beck rounded off the day's action with a 7-6 (7-2) 2-6 6-3 win against France's Paul-Henri Mathieu.